Nutcases.
ATLANTA --- The nation's busiest airport dueled with gun rights advocates Tuesday over whether a new Georgia law allows visitors to carry firearms at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.
City officials in charge of the airport declared it a "gun-free zone" when a law allowing people to carry guns on public transit and other places took effect Tuesday. Gun rights supporters, including a state legislator who helped pass the law, quickly filed a lawsuit in federal court challenging the designation.
"My message is simple: Leave your firearms at home," airport general manager Ben DeCosta told reporters at a news conference.
Atlanta officials said anyone carrying a gun at the airport could be arrested and charged with a misdemeanor.
The new law allows people with a concealed-weapons permit to carry guns into restaurants, state parks and on public transportation.
John Monroe, an attorney for the gun rights backers who filed the lawsuit, argued the Atlanta airport qualifies as public transportation. There are also restaurants in the terminal, which Mr. Monroe said should be accessible to gun-toting visitors under the law.
Rep. Tim Bearden, a Republican from Villa Rica and a former police officer, is a plaintiff in the lawsuit. He sponsored the law.
He had told a newspaper he would carry a concealed weapon to the airport Tuesday when he picked up his family. But he told The Associated Press by telephone Tuesday morning, "There will be no reason for any confrontation at the airport."
The gun group argues that weapons should be allowed in the terminal up to the point where passengers pass through security to board their flights. The parking lot is off limits under the state law, but it allows travelers to carry a gun on MARTA trains and buses, which run directly to the airport.
Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin said residents can't bring guns into the terminal and argued that airports remain attractive targets for terrorism. She said she will lobby Congress to withhold federal funds from facilities that allow firearms on their premises.
Comments
Nutcases.
Franklin and King Ben Decosta needs to follow the law instead of of trying to make thier own laws...Who are they trying to protect the criminals? They need to go....
As long as the guns are not being taken beyond the passenger loading zone I see no problem. People with legal concealed weapon permits have never caused any problems that I am aware of.
I will be closely watching this ridiculous lawsuit to see if any state funds used are used in any way. It's ridiculous to have to go to court to make some small minded politician obey the law. It's one thing for Atlanta to waste their own money, but don't try to waste mine. I'll be watching closely to see if the city of Atlanta tries to use any state funds during this process. If they do then I may sue them.
We won't talk about trying to police the waste of federal tax dollars. There are so many Shirley Franklins that it's impossible to adequately monitor waste at the federal level.
OK you guys I have no problem with guns in the resturants or movie theatre or the bars....but in the Airport ??? Thats just doesn"t feel right.
See, some of you guys are nuts. Why in the hell would you need a gun in an airport. Been looking at too many Die Hard movies.
I agree with curly's take. As long as no one tries to board a plane with a weapon. Of course you can have them a case with baggage.
The Constitution sets the rules and the SCROTUM (supreme court of the unbelievably moronic) interprets the law. You may not like it but it is a protected right. I don't have a problem with regulating the right in a logical manner. If you want to start taking apart or questioning the Bill of Rights you are in for the fall.
You don't have a consitutionsl right to carry a gun in an airport>
I think the SCROTUM's ruling in The District of Columbia v. Heller would argue people do have the right in the airport and even on the plane as long as it is in baggage and not with people. The 2nd amendment protects the right.
Then it is not carrying, if it's not on your person. Next someone is going to argue that it is their right to have it on their person while flying.
Lets face it, criminals carry weapons everywhere they want to. They use them to commit forcible felonies (robbery, rape, murder, car jacking etc.) when ever the opportunity presents itself. Why would anyone want to deny a law abiding citizen the opportunity to protect them selves and their loved ones from becoming crime victims. Ben & Shirley are idiots, and a threat to the people they serve.
That would be an interesting court case! I'd love to read the arguments. Arguments about are airliners public transportation (yeah sounds ridiculous),etc. The probem with trying to muck with the 2nd amendment is it makes fair game of the rest. Like those pesky 1st, 4th, and 6th. So much for dissent, unreasonable searches, and a trial by jury. Tell them to shut up, search em, then hang em quick. Of course if you had that gun you could protect yourself from such antics. Hee,hee,hee.
No one has yet to state a legitimate reason for carrying firearms in an airport. Next you will think it's your right to carry one in the White House.
Do you think you can't get mugged, car jacked, kidnapped, or raped in an Airport parking lot? Will you carry a sign saying, "I am un-armed and un-able to defend myself" where ever I go so as to present an easy target for the bad guy? Maybe they will go after you and not me and my family.... That would be fine by me!
I don't carry handguns, least I lose my temper and kill someone. But I had a grandfather who always had one at his side, and two uncles who always had pistols in their pockets. To be honest the personlities and mentality of those who feel the neccessity to carry a weapon has always kinda scared me.
Did any of those relatives every freak out and start blasting away at people?
Some people are sheep, some are shepherds. There's nothing wrong with that. Not everyone SHOULD be trusted with a firearm. Just don't try and force your opinions of what is "constitutional" on me. That's what the Supreme Court is for.
Actually I have an older brother who swears my grandfather shot someone when he was a kid (a black man). He swears it, but my mother denied any such incident. But back then who knows. Even in my lifetime we had shootouts. Two fellas had a show down and then shot and killed each other over a dame. Looks like she was the only one who won on that one. Ya know upon reflection maybe these bans are a good idea. hee,hee,hee. Hey it is not my opinion it is the SCROTUMs. Of course the opinion is dangling there and could be revisited.
Oh yes! I agree that guns are used by bad people to do a lot of bad things. But not so much by the law abiding citizens who apply for a firearm license through their local probate court, and pass a national criminal background check. It's the people who don't give a damn about the legal way to arm them selves who are more prone to not give a damn about the other laws that our society has put in place.
I'm at the airport at least once a week all across the US and I haven't seen or heard of any incidents involving guns in an airport, mainly b/c everyone knows it is a federal offense and you WILL be prosecuted. I guarantee if you start allowing guns in the airport, there WILL be trouble. Anyone who flys, knows that the security checkpoints are not 100%, so the next story will be how some idiot manages to get a gun past security and shot up the holding area! I for one and just about every frequent flyer I know and hear talking would like to keep things the way they are.
The solution is not to ban guns but ban people. hee,hee,hee.
firefighter, airports are "public places", and the Court has ruled that you can carry a weapon in those places. This is nothing more than a back door effort to not abide by the Court's ruling.
Jack is correct as the law reads it is so. Argue with the SCROTUM because our opinions are moot (mute).
thanks to the law that citizens can carry guns to natioal parks, my 7 year old, who watches the news daily, is afraid to visit parks. I don't carry a gun, and I don't want to be riding on a subway next to a person w/ a gun. I drive my own car, but if I wanted to ride public transportation, I would not appreciate an idiot boarding with a gun. There's no where to hide.
In that case, the White House, Senate, Congress and so on are public places, I want you to try and walk into there with your gun. No one is saying that a person should not have a right to a gun, bottomline is there are some places that you do not need to take them.
I guess none of you have every watched the television reality show called Airport. There is no doubt in my mind had they allowed guns in them, they would have been numerous shooting. Some how people get a little more bolder when they are carrying a weapon.
EXACTLY RIGHT FIRE...if u want to own a gun, so be it!! Do not, however bring the weapon every place that u go. Trouble is waiting to be caused by unstable people such as Bizzaro.
Bizzaro?!?!? LOL!!! You alarmists just kiLL me! AHHHH!!!! MAN WITH A GUN!!! Somebody shoot him!!! LOL!!!!!
You didn't like my slippery slope argument? Dang I knew I should have used cat [filtered word] instead of dog. You must just now be pickin up on my moniker. I can actually debate both sides of the issue, but this is so much more fun. Actually I have never pulled a gun on anyone,but a number of occasions I have had imbeciles stick a gun in my face. The first time I was young and stupid so I just grabbed the gun, the poor fellow ,and beat the crap out of him. An inebriated hunter once. A criminal once. All the incidents south of the Mason-Dixon. Dang I'm lucky to be alive. I should have been packin. I thought all southerners had pistols and rifles to shoot fair game. hee,hee,hee. Ban people not Guns!! I think I will use that for my Presidential bid. Bizarro 08' Strange is Change. We will pop a cap in you if you don't vote Bizarro. Hmmm. Cookies or guns, tough decision. I am depending on you two to write in for Bizarro for Prez. There may still be room in my cabinet for you two also. Let me keep count of all promises. Really I haven't decided whether I like gun regulation or more regulating the imbeciles who want them.
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